Body Work Session

Mobilisation (6 minutes)

• Neck rolls: 10 each direction
• Shoulder circles: 10 forward, 10 back
• Thoracic rotation: 10 each side
• Hip circles: 10 each direction
• Bodyweight squats: 15 reps (body work demands strong legs for level changes)
• Lateral lunges: 5 each side
• Wrist rotations: 10 each direction

Warm-Up Drills (8 minutes)

Level change shadow boxing (4 mins)

2 x 1.5-minute rounds. Members throw jab-cross combinations to the head, then dip the knees and throw jab-cross to the body. Alternate: head, body, head, body. The purpose is to warm up the level change movement.

"Every time you go to the body, the dip comes from the knees. Bend the legs, not the waist. If your head goes forward, you are doing it wrong."

Squat and touch drill (4 mins)

Stance position. Drop into a half squat (simulating a level change), touch the floor with the lead hand, stand back up to guard. 10 reps. Then: drop, touch with the rear hand, stand up. 10 reps. This isolates the level change without any punching.

Main Session (38 minutes)

Body Shot Mechanics - Mirror Work (10 mins)

Lead hook to the body (4 mins)

Coach demonstrates. The lead hook to the body is the same punch as the lead hook to the head, but with a level change. Bend the knees, lower the torso, and throw the hook on a horizontal plane at rib height.

Key checkpoints:
1. The level change happens before the punch, not during it. Dip first, then hook.
2. The elbow stays at 90 degrees, same as the head hook.
3. The rear hand stays at the cheekbone. Protect the chin because going low exposes the head.
4. The back stays straight. The dip is in the legs.

Members throw 10 slow lead hooks to the body in the mirror. Coach corrects.

Rear cross to the body (3 mins)

The rear hand goes straight to the body. Level change first, then the cross travels on a downward-angled line. The hip rotation is the same as the regular cross.

Cue: "This is not a different punch. It is the same cross with a level change added. The body just changes the angle."

10 slow reps. Then 10 at moderate speed.

Lead uppercut to the body (3 mins)

The shortest body punch. From close range, dip the lead shoulder and drive the uppercut into the solar plexus area. The fist travels upward and slightly inward.

10 slow reps. The uppercut to the body is often the most natural body punch for members because the upward trajectory feels intuitive at close range.

Body Work on Pads (10 mins)

Pairs with focus pads. The pad holder holds one pad at the worker's rib height, palm facing down (for hooks) or palm facing the worker (for crosses and uppercuts).

Drill 1: Lead hook to the body only (3 mins)
2-minute round, swap. Pad holder checks: did the worker dip before punching? Is the elbow at 90 degrees?

Drill 2: Jab to the head, lead hook to the body (4 mins)
The jab goes high to the lead pad held at head height. Then the pad drops low for the body hook. This trains the head-body transition. 2-minute rounds, swap.

Drill 3: 1-2-body hook combination (3 mins)
Jab to the head, cross to the head, level change, lead hook to the body. Three punches with a level change between the second and third. 2-minute rounds, swap.

Coaching cue: "The head punches pull the guard up. The body shot goes underneath. That is why the combination works."

Body Protector Work (8 mins)

Pairs. One member wears the body protector shield. The other throws body shots with moderate power.

4 x 1.5-minute rounds, swapping every round.

• Round 1: lead hook to the body only. Feel the impact with proper rotation.
• Round 2: rear cross to the body. Drive through the target.
• Round 3: alternating body hooks. Left, right, left, right.
• Round 4: head-body combinations. Jab to the face of the shield holder (light, above the shield), then body shot to the shield.

The body protector gives feedback that bags and pads cannot. The worker feels the impact transferred through the rotation. The shield holder feels the power difference between arm punches and punches driven from the legs.

Heavy Bag Body Work (10 mins)

4 x 2-minute rounds. 30 seconds rest.

• Round 1: body shots only. All punches below the midpoint of the bag. Mix hooks, crosses, and uppercuts.
• Round 2: 1-2 to the head, body hook. Repeat. Head-head-body rhythm.
• Round 3: body-body-head. Two body hooks then a cross to the head. The body shots bring the guard down, the head shot goes over the top.
• Round 4: freestyle body and head combinations. The only rule: at least half of all punches must go to the body.

Watch for: members who punch at the body without changing level. The punch should come from a lowered position, not from standing height aimed downward.

Conditioning Finish (5 minutes)

• 30-second body shot flurry on the bag (hooks to the body, fast and continuous), 15 seconds rest x 4
• 20 squat jumps (legs are the engine for body work)
• 20 Russian twists
• 30-second plank

Cool Down and Reflection (3 minutes)

Hip flexor stretch: 15 seconds each side. Quad stretch: 15 seconds each. Hamstring stretch: 15 seconds. Lower back stretch: knees to chest on the floor, 15 seconds. Oblique stretch: side bend, 10 seconds each.

"Body punching wins fights that head hunting does not. A good body shot slows the opponent down, drops their hands, and takes away their legs. Most gyms do not spend enough time on this. You just did an entire session on it. Build on that."

Preview: the next session will integrate body work into combination sparring scenarios.

Coaching Notes

• The most common error in body work is punching down from standing height instead of changing level first. Correct this relentlessly. The level change is what makes body shots effective and safe.
• Members with lower back issues should limit the depth of the level change. A slight knee bend is sufficient. They should not attempt deep dips.
• The body protector work is the most valuable part of this session because members can feel the difference between a properly driven body shot and an arm punch. If shields are limited, rotate members through the station.
• Body shots to the liver (left side of the opponent, under the ribs) are the most effective in boxing. Teach members to target this area specifically with the rear hook to the body.
• For advanced members, add the set-up: jab to the head to lift the guard, then immediately go to the body. The faster the transition, the less time the opponent has to adjust.
• This session pairs well with the defence-focused sessions. Body shots are harder to defend than head shots because the guard has further to travel downward. Members need both the offence and the defence.